That lens is not for sale in the United States. ;-) Tom C.
>From: "Bob Blakely" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Pentax-Discuss Mail List <[email protected]> >To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]> >Subject: Pentax Colorado - Repair >Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007 17:32:11 -0700 > >[The short] I dropped my FA 1:1.8 31mm lend about one meter to concrete and >damaged my aperture ring. > >[The Long - skip if faint of heart] A few weeks ago, being new to being >crippled,I slipped just outside my favorite coffee house (and, no, it's not >Starf*cks). Anyway, I reached out for a table as I fell and knocked my SMC >PENTAX-FA 1:1.8 31mm AL Limited off to the concrete. Ouch. Not as bad as I >thought it would be though. It hit squarely on the edge of the aperture >ring >giving it a "cosmetic" flaw and knocking the ring out-of-round. I >immediately rued my decision not to purchase the "we don't care if you >purposely threw it against a brick wall" warranty for about an extra $50. >The lens still works perfectly, but it's very hard to turn the aperture >ring. > >[The short] I took the lens to Harold, my repairman who verified that the >only problem is the aperture ring which must be replaced. Since the lens >still works, we agreed that he would order the aperture ring while I >continued to use the lens and that I would bring the lens in when it >arrived >for repair. During this time, my repairman called Pentax Colorado several >times. Seems they couldn't locate the part or some such and fed him >bullpucky. They told him that this lens is not sold in the United States >and >they couldn't repair it!!! > >[The Long - skip if faint of heart] So I took the lens to my favorite >Pentax >trained repairman who verified that the only problem was the aperture ring >which must be replaced. Since the lens still works, and since the lens can >still be easily used on my K10Ds on the "A" setting, we agreed that he >would >order the aperture ring while I continued to use the lens and that I would >bring the lens in when it arrived for a few hours of R&R and registration >check. During this time, my repairman called Pentax Colorado several times. >Seems they couldn't locate the part or some such. My repairman requested a >diagram of the lens so that he could more specifically identify the part >for >them. (I have no idea why "aperture ring for an SMC PENTAX-FA 1:1.8 31mm AL >Limited lens" is not sufficient.) Well, they sent him the wrong diagram! He >called them again and after some discussion, they told him that this lens >is >not sold in the United States and they couldn't repair it!!! > >[The short] Since I know this to be bullpucky, I called Pentax Colorado and >informed him that the lens IS sold in the US and, furthermore, the >literature that came with the lens lists Pentax Colorado as the place to go >for warranty service. After considerable conversation he agreed to order >the >aperture ring from Japan and have it shipped to my Harold - to be arranged >when Harold calls back. > >[The Long - skip if faint of heart] Well, since most of the larger major >camera houses sell this lens and since it's on the Pentax USA web site for >sale via internet purchase, and since the accompanying literature lists >Pentax Colorado as the authorized repair agent, I knew this to be >bullpucky! >I called Pentax Colorado to find out what was going on. It didn't take >[name >omitted] long to realize that I was the customer of the repairman he'd just >talked to on the phone. I informed him that the lens IS sold in the US and >on the shelves of many of the major retailers - such as Samy's; moreover, >the lens is for sale to the US on the Pentax US web site. He appeared not >to >be aware of this, but I reassured him that he was smart enough to access >the >site and look it up for himself. Furthermore, the literature that came with >the lens lists Pentax Colorado as the place to go for warranty service. I >asked him what he intended to do when one came in! I further informed him >that I'm no neophyte when it comes to Pentax cameras, that I've been >shooting them since the early '60s, that I have nearly [deleted serious 5 >figures] current value (not new) invested in Pentax 35mm and medium format >cameras, lenses, bellows, flashes, meters and doohickeys and I follow my >investment and the state of Pentax closely. After a few moments of silence, >the conversation switched to his agreeing to order the aperture ring from >Japan and shipping it to my Harold to be arranged when Harold calls back. > >For those of you who don't know, about a year back Pentax Colorado began >outsourcing their repair. I don't know the reason for this, but it might >have something to do with the Hoya buy in. Perhaps they have reduced staff >for the purpose of making things look more profitable, whatever, but the >bottom line seems to be: > >1. Don't expect expertise from Pentax Colorado re: repair when you call. >2. Expect longer times to repair due to extra level between you and the >repairman. >3. Expect possible higher costs due to extra level between you and the >repairman. >4. Don't take what they say as gospel. > >Regards, >Bob... >-------------------------------------------------------- >"Art is not a reflection of reality. it is the reality of a reflection." > -Jean Luc Godard > > > >-- >PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >[email protected] >http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >follow the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
